Nichole

Pros:
- World. I loved being back in this world with the EOs and Victor and Eli. I loved that we also got to meet new characters
- Pacing. This book gave me serious Illuminae Files vibes because every chapter was counting down to a specific moment. Everything took place in relation to this event, one we did not know was coming.
- Eli. I loved every scene with his scheming and plot. Honestly this book was made better by him and I know most people hate him but he is by far the best character in this world.
Cons:
- Hype: I think this book was so anticipated for me after how much I love Vicious, but this one did not live up to the hype. Do not get me wrong, I loved this book, it just was not everything I needed in the book.
- Are we getting more books? Vicious ended in a very complete way even if I wanted more. Now I got more and it definitely was left open this time for more in this world, but I'm not sure I want more.

Pros:
- Political intrigue. This book is full of faerie court shenanigans, whether it was schemes, betrayals, or parties. I loved all the twists and turns as Jude and Cardan settled into their roles within the court.
- Jude and Cardan. Their relationship will always be a favorite of mine. I love how much they hate each other but at the same time how much they need each other. It is such a unique relationship and I love the way Holly is writing it.
- Worldbuilding. This book definitely expanded the world even beyond what The Cruel Prince introduced us to. I loved learning more about the Undersea and the court there.

Cons:
- The ending. Honestly this is not really a con, but I needed something to put down. I was prepared to be shocked by the ending, but this one left me even more shocked than Cruel Prince did. I cannot wait for the next one and it is horrible that it is a year away. But I know it will be amazing and have so much more shocking moments.

3.5 Stars

I'm happy to have completed this before Bloodwitch comes out next month!

Pros:

- Storytelling: This book was written in journal form and I absolutely loved the multiple POVs even though it was truly Ryber's journal. It was vital to the story to have Eridysi's journal as well to explain what happened a thousand years before.
- World: This novella puts you right back in world of the Witchlands and all the magic and powers associated with it. While I missed the characters I have come to love, I loved being back in the world.
- Backstory: I loved learning more about the Sightwitches and what happened to them prior to the start of Truthwitch.

Cons:

- Ryber: I honestly do not remember her from either Truthwitch or Windwitch. I know she was a side character but other than her “relationship” with Kullen I have no recollection of anything she does in those two books.
- Questions: I feel like this opened up too many questions about the past that I do not know how we are going to get answers to them. I really hope Susan Dennard is able to tie everything up in the next three books but it worries me because there are now so many new characters we have been introduced to and who now needed endings to their stories.

3.5 Stars

For 2019, I want to do something different with my book reviews. They are now going to be short Pro/Con lists to help organize my thoughts but also give insight into the book.

Pros:

- Monsters, Monsters, and more Monsters, there were a bunch of different monsters we heard about and I really hope as the series continues we get to meet more of them, I also kind of wish we got a glossary of the different types and what they do.
- Setting, this book takes place in South America, in a jungle village black market. I appreciated that it was this remote place where the black market existed.

Cons:

- Worldbuilding, I really struggled to visualize this book. The descriptions were lacking. The story was great but the lack of being able to see what was happening was a major let down for me.
- Instalove, I hesitate to call it instalove but Kovit and Nita have this immediate connection that irked me. It becomes this almost captor and captee relationship. I know we still have story to go but I could not help but question where Schaeffer is going with this.

I really struggled with this installment. I think I had such high expectations after how much I was surprised by the first book and how much I actually enjoyed it. This book follows Felicity and while I loved her character in Gentleman's Guide, I just could not get into this book. It also took me almost a month to read because I just never wanted to read it. There was always something I would rather do.

I think a lot of people will enjoy this book, I just unfortunately was not one of them. Part of my lack of interest could be because this is a historical fiction book and those are generally not my cup of tea. I am glad I read this though so it was not another book on the never ending list of sequels I have not read.

4.5 Stars

This one was still really good, there was just something about Career of Evil which makes it my favorite so far in the series.

I cannot wait to see what it is store for Comoran and Robin next!

This book was very poignant and well-done. I also really enjoyed listening to it as an audiobook and think the story is better that way.

This was totally my kind of book with schemes and gangs plus magical powers. While the writing wasn't the best the story line and premise made up for it.

This was an interesting read. I really enjoyed the world and the premise, plus there were demons so I was intrigued. I was not able to really connect with the characters though, but it was still a solid read!

I really enjoy this series and a large part of that is because I love Sherlock retellings. There is just something so unique about them. I also really love Brittany Cavallaro's take with Charlotte and Jamie. This installment started of very different from the previous two books but it still had the same feel and once I got used to Charlotte's side of the story I loved her added voice! Hopefully that continues in A Question of Holmes.

This was an absolutely amazing book! The story timeline, the characters, the concept. While it definitely has this great science fiction vibe, it is so much more than that. The way Hank tackled fame and how one deals with fame was perfection. I cannot wait for more books from him!

For me, this installment was not as strong as Stalking Jack the Ripper, but I still enjoyed the book and am exciting for Audrey Rose and Thomas's shenanigans on a boat in the Atlantic in Escaping Houdini.

4.5 Stars

3.5 Stars

“If there was something strange in your neighborhood, you could, um, write the Society a letter, and they would promptly send an agent to take care of it.”

This companion novel unfortunately was a let down after how much I enjoyed My Lady Jane. I really think my expectations were too high. I was expected the same amazing humor and wit and talking to the reader. During this installment, I think the author's were trying too hard to recreate the feel of My Lady Jane and they fell short.

This was still a great take on Jane Eyre and I really enjoyed reading it but it was a disappointment compared to my expectations. We get three POVs in this installment as well. We follow Jane, Charlotte, and Alexander. I really enjoyed Charlotte and Alexander but Jane was not as enjoyable for me. I did enjoy how the story was different and the addition of ghosts. I will definitely still read the final book in this series and hopefully it will be better than this one.

This book was unique I will give it that. But the timeline was hard to follow at first and it was almost always very abrupt switches between the two characters of Rielle and Eliana. I definitely enjoyed Eliana's story more, however I can see how the past and Rielle's story was important (to an extent). That being said after thinking about it some, this book literally had nothing happen. Sure there was some action and figuring things out but it was all setup and information dumping. Overall, this book just was not for me and I do not think I will be continuing because I just did not connect enough with the characters to truly care what happens next.

This was a great continuation of the series, but it definitely felt more like a filler book to me. It did end with a bang as you would expect from both Holly and Cassie.

UnicornCrate Jan 2018 Book
“I know better than to be afraid of stories”
I really enjoyed this book. I was kept entertained and was grossly interested in Jules's story. For me the best part of this book was the magic. The idea that people's blood can be turned into time coins that can then be ingested by someone to lengthen their live is fascinating.

This then lead to the cliche aspect of the rich and powerful preying on the poor and weak for their blood to lengthen their lives and we get the “special” poor girl who is not who she seems. I was able to overcome the cliches of this book simply because I loved the premise so much and loved this idea of time coins and bloodletting as payment for your mistakes and/or taxes. There was something so unique and refreshing about it, even if it contained other standard YA tropes.

I definitely am looking forward to the next book since this one left me with so many questions. Sara Holland did a great job of piquing my interest and then cementing it as she expanded this story and blew everything apart with that ending.

“We are not defined by the things we do in order to survive. We do not apologize for them,” she says quietly, eyes never leaving mine. “Maybe they have broken you, but you are a sharper weapon because of it. And it is time to strike.”

This book has two of my favorite things in it: politics and magic.

First and foremost this is book is all politics and Theo trying to survive in the court of the man who had her mother killed and took over her kingdom. The Kaiser invaded her world and completely upturned it. But Theo has survived for 10 long years and is slowly biding her time waiting to strike back. I loved reading Theo's inner dialogue and she pieced together plans and schemes to free herself and those she cares about. I also loved how she had to weigh her position in the court with helping her people.

This book is dark and gory. Theo has to endure the worst at the hands of the Kaiser. Whether it is verbal abuse and name calling or beatings to punish her after something her people have done. Or being forced to watch as her people are tortured and killed. There is a lot of violence and bloodshed in this book. Theo's people have become slaves in this new world and she is merely a slave dressed up at court.

The magic in this book is minimal only slightly explored in this first book, but I really want to learn more about the gems and controlling the elements with them. This book is definitely an introduction to the story. It sets up the rebellion and Theo's stake for the throne but it leaves so much more to be answered.

I cannot wait for Lady Smoke and see where Theo's story takes her next. I really hope we get to learn more about the magic system and more importantly there is more politics and manipulating

Really enjoyed this. Tella is a great POV and I loved seeing Caraval through her eyes after reading a different game through Scarlett's. This book ended with all the things happening, but now we must wait until next year for Finale.

This was such a well written and unique book. I was a little worried when I got this that it would be too similar to Three Dark Crowns, but I had nothing to worry about. This book was great and I easily fell in love with the story and the characters. I also really enjoyed all the flashback chapters that helped show what the characters were dealing with and how the past shaped them.

“The books didn't help me find a word for myself; my father refused to accept the weight of it. And so I made my own. I am vengeance.”

This book is so special. It tackles another difficult topic in an amazing way. The book follows Alex who at first appears to simply be a introvert who has always kept to herself. But you soon learn there is a lot more to Alex than initially thought. This book was so dark and creepy but it tackled the idea of rape and rape culture in a very unique, but important way.

All The Rage is one of the best books that discusses rape culture and this book easily fits in that category. This book made me angry at times and sad at others. Mindy McGinis wrote this so well. I never knew what exactly was going to happen as Alex became part of her high school's social scene. As she gained friends and other life experiences after her sister's rape and death.

This book was told in 3 seperate POVs and it was one of those unique times were it is absolutely necessary for each of them. We needed Alex's innermonologue as she dealt with her sisters death. We needed Jack's story and how that impacted Alex's. And finally Peekay's POV was important to showcase how a friendship can change a person's story.

I do not want to give many details about this book, but I do want to urge you to read this (if you can). It is so well written and is a story that needs to be told.

I listened to the audiobook of this and I'm fairly certain that if I had tried to read this, I would have decided to DNF it. This book suffers from multiple issues that lead to my low rating. The idea and the concept were good but the execution left much to be desired.

The book seemed to drag on. It could have been a 300 page book and it would have been a great action-packed adventure. Instead we got over 500 pages of long winded story telling. This book also had way too many POVs. It would have been fine to only have one maybe to. Andi's story is the main one and she would have been able to tell the story without needing all the other POVs.

I really wanted to like this book. It focuses on a group of outcasts who have found friendship and family together. But unfortunately this book was not for me. I will not be picking up the sequel even though it means I will not know the end of the story, but I almost do not care enough about the characters to read what is bound to be another too long book with too many POVs.

Best one so far!

I wanted to love this book, I wanted to fall in love with the characters and read a book about forgiveness. Instead I got super annoying main character, super creepy fake British dude (seriously you can't just pick up an accent that fast), and super quick resolution.

I have enjoyed other books by Erin Watt, but this one was not for me. The royals series is a great one to binge when you are in the mood. And When It's Real was a super cute YA book, but this had very little going for it. I'm sure many will enjoy it, but it left me with too many cringe worthy moments and not enough character growth and development.

“So many girls allow themselves to be bleeding idiots because that's what's expected of them. Dress like a girl. Walk like one. Eat like one. Desire the things a girl should desire, and nothing more - but how can that be called desire, if it's dictated.”

This book was different than I was expecting in a great way. I was concerned this was going to just be another book about a girl with special powers and oh no everyone fears her and ahh she is a special butterfly who overcomes it.

But I was presently surprised to find that there was way more character development with this book. I really enjoyed the scientific aspect of this book and how much focus there was on figuring out why Wil had these powers and what she could do with them.

I also really connected with Wil in terms of her desire to be her own person and not let others make decisions and shape who she should be. She wanted to be her own person and she slowly was able to work towards that in this book.